Machine for blocking and shaping hats



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MACHINE FOR BLOCKING AND $HAPING HATS. 7

No. 244,041. Patented July 12, 1881.

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R. EIOKEMEYER. MACHINE FOR BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

No. 244,041. Patented July 12, 18811.

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MACHINE FOR BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

No. 244,041. Patented July 12, 1881.

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R. EIGKEMEYBR. MACHINE r011 BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

No. 244,041. Patented July 12,1881.

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WITNESSEEH. INVEN TEIH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF EIGKEMEYER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

MACHINEFOR BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,041, dated July 12,1881.

Application filed June 4, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDoLF EIOKEMEYER, of Yonkers, in the county ofWestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Blocking and Shaping Hats; and I do herebydeclare that the following specification, taken in connection with thedrawings furnished, and forming apart thereof, is a clear, true, andcomplete description of the several features of improvement.

My improved machines have been devised for blocking and developingthebands of hats, shaping the crowns, and drawin gout or stretching thebrims, and while they are of general value in operating upon hatscomposed of wool, they have been specially organized by me for operatingupon for hats.

The principal elements and many of the essential combinations ofelements now employed by me have heretofore been made the subject ofLetters Patent, full reference to which will be hereinafter made inconnection with the detailed description.

The several features deemed novel by me will be specified in detail inthe several claims hereunto annexed.

Referring to the four sheets of drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is aperspective view of a complete machine embodying my present improvementswith belt attached. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is an enlarged side view of thesame with a portion of the brim-stretching devices removed and the partssomewhat varied in position. Fig. 3 Sheet 3, is a vertical centralsection of the same on a line extending from front to rear, with theoperative mechanism in position as if working on a hat, which is shownin dotted lines. Fig. 4, Sheet 3, is a detached front view of theblock-liftin g rod and the block-expanding rods, their cross-head andlinks. Fig. 5, Sheet 3, is a horizontal section of the same on line as,Fig. 3. Fig. 6, Sheet 4, is an enlarged side view of the upper portionof the machinewith some of the parts detached, illustrating the positionof the banding-ring andits levers while in operation. Fig. 7, Sheet 4,is a similar view representing the parts in position just prior to theoperation of thebanding-rin g. Figs. 8, 9, and 10, Sheet 4, are views ofone of my improved brim-stretching tongs or fingers detached.

The principal feature of my present invention consists, broadly, in thecombination of automatic brim-stretching tongs or fingers, a hat-block,and a rapidly-reciprocating banding-ring, organized to co-operate forperforming the service hereinbefore indicated.

granted to Osterheld and Eickemcye'r, April 3, 1866, a stationarybanding-ring is shown in combination with a reciprocating block andbrim-clamping plates, and the same combination differently organized isalso shown in my Letters Patent, December 31, 187 7, No. 72,7 26. In myLetters Patent No. 167,083, August 24, 1875, I show the combination ofbrim-stretching tongs or fingers, a hat-block, and a banding-ringoperated by a hand-lever; and in my Letters Patent, February 5, 1878,No. 200,034, I show the combination of brim clamping plates, ahat-block, and a rapidly-rcciprocatin g banding-ring.

The main feature of invention as above stated is not limited to anyparticular type of hat-block but, in connection with a novel subordinatecombination of elements, I limit myself to an expansible hat-block,however varied in construction; but I prefer the block which is made thesubject of my Letters Patent No. 141,338, July 29, 1873, withoutlimiting myself thereto. The brim stretching tongs or fingers embracedas elements of these novel combinations may also be varied in theirconstruction and arrangement 5 but I prefer, without limiting myselfthereto, such tongs as are in part the subject of my aforesaid LettersPatent N 0. 167,083, August 24,1875. I have now improved said tongsorfingers, as will be hereinafter indicated, for rendering them betteradapted to operate on fur hats.

The frame A of the machine is preferably composed of cast-iron induplicate side platesan intermediate horizontal plate, a, suitablyperforated for the accommodation of verticalmoving portions of themachine, and a central tie-brace, a, below, which also serves as afulcrum for the treadle-lever and supports a guide for the lower end ofthe block-spindle.

The drivin g-shaft b is provided with fast and y In United StatesLetters Patent No. 53,661,

loose belt-pulleys, and its sole purpose is to rapidly reciprocate thebanding-ring B, all other movements of the working parts of the machinebeing obtained through the motions of the foot and hand of theattendant. In my Letters Patent No. 200,034, February 5, A. D. 1878, amachine is shown in which a rapidlyreciproeating banding-ring is kept inmotion during the use of the machine; but as now organized by me it isonly in motion when actually required to operate upon a hat,notwithstanding the continuous rotation of the driving-shaft. As in myprior Letters Patent last referred to, the banding-ring is provided withside arms, I), which are mounted upon the upper ends of a pair ofvertically-sliding rods, b but instead of having said rods directlyconnected with the driving-shaft, as before, by cranks and pitmen, theyare now connected by means of a rock-shaft and a system of levers, whichenable the banding-ring to rest, when elevated, during the introductionand removal of a hat.

In operating upon wool hats it is not specially desirable that thebandin g-rin g be ever rendered inactive, and under some circumstancesthe same would be true in operating upon fur hats but in view of thetenderness of fur hats, and of the liability of injuring the same if theattendant of the machine be inexperienced or careless, I deem itdesirable that the banding-rin g be rendered inactive until everythinghas been prearranged for its proper operation upon a hat; but whenoperated under the best conditions, involving the character of the hatsand the capacity of attendants, the banding-ring may be continuouslyvibrated, if desired.

The means for driving the banding-ring are best illustrated in Figs. 6and 7, Sheet 4. The main shaft 1) is connected by a pitman, c, to alever, c, on one end of the rock-shaft c and this rock-shaft, near eachend, has keyed to it the arms or levers c Said levers c carry at theirouter ends a pivoted rod, 0 at each end of which there is secured firmlya pendent arm, 0 in the form of a crank with its pin 0 at its lower end.Said crank-pins c are conneeted on each side of the machine by a link, 0with upper levers or walking-beams, 0 one on each side of the machine,and both of said beams are pivoted to links 0 in turn pivoted to studsattached to the sliding rods b on which the banding-ring B is mounted.One of these levers or walking-beams, c, has its fulcrum on the weightedhand-lever 01. As seen in Fig. 6, it will be readily seen that therotation of the shaft 1) will, by means of the rock-shaft, the levers,and the links described, cause the bandin g-rin g to be verticallyreciprocated.

For causing the banding-ring to rest while putting on and removing ahat, and while said banding-ring is elevated, as shown in Fig. 2, Sheet2, and even after said ring is lowered, as in Fig. 7, and until thereciprocating motion is desired by the attendant, the lever connectionsadjacent to the rock-shaft are rendered inactive by a change in theposition of the crank-pins c on the pendent arms 0 they being movedrearward until said pins are coincident with the axis of the rock-shaftc and the pendent arms a are parallel with the rockshaft levers or arms0 This inactive adjustment of said crank-pins is effected by means of alever, e, having a fulcrum at 6 near the front of the machine, on oneside of its frame. Said lever 0 is at its lower end connected by link 0with the crank-pin 0, so that when the upper end of lever 0 is movedtoward the front, as indicated in Fig. 7, the crank-pins are both thrownrearward, and thereby the operative connection is suspended between therockshaft and banding-ring.

The hand-lever d, before referred to, is keyed to a fulcrum-rod, d,mounted at the upper rear portion of the frame, and to said rod otherarms, W, are keyed, on which, at their outer ends, a balance-weight, d,is mounted. Near the front end of the hand-lever d is a springlatch, cl,on the frame of the machine, whereby said lever is maintained in adepressed position, but from which it may readily be disengaged when thelever is to be lifted.

Near the front end of lever 61 there is pivoted thereto an auxiliarylever, f, which constitutes in one of its functions a prolongation ofthe lever cl and serves as a handle thereto. The prime function,however, of said lever f is to control the lever e for rendering thebanding-ring active or inactive. The lever fis rectangular in form, andhas at its short end a laterally-projecting pin, j", which occupies aslot or fork, e formed in the upper end of lever 0, so that as the outerend of leverf is moved up and down independently of the hand-lever d thelever e and the crank-pins c are correspondingly moved. The lever e isprovided with an expansive spiral spring, 0 which constantly exerts apressure on said lever, tending to place it in the position indicated inFig.

7, and when the lever f is depressed, as shown in Fig. 6, the spring 0is compressed. locking the lever fin either of its two positions it isprovided with a sliding spring-bolt, f, the outer end of which has a finger-pin, f and the inner end thereof occupies either the upper notch,f*,Fig. 6, or the lower notch,f Fig. 7, according to whether thebanding-ring is to be rendered active or inactive. In Fig. 2, Sheet 2,the banding-ring is elevated to its highest point, the outer end ofhand-lever at being also elevated and its weighted end depressed.

A comparison of Figs. 2, 6, and 7 will enable a ready comprehension ofthe operation of the mechanism thus far described, it being observedthat only when lever f is depressed, as in Fig. 6, can the banding-ringbe reciprocated, although the driving-shaft continues its rotation, andthat the extent of the vibratory movement of the banding-ring graduallyincreases from the time said lever f is first moved until in itsfully-depressed position.

The block 0 here shown is of the expansi- For a ble variety; but it isto be understood that I do not limit myself, under certain features ofmy invention, to expansible blocks, although such are deemed preferableby me, and I do not limit myself, under certain other features ofinvention, to the particular expansible block here shown, although Iprefer it to any other known to me. This particular block will be foundfully described and claimed in my aforesaid Letters Patent No.141,338.There are, however, certain improvements in the mounting and working ofsaid block, which will be now described. In my machine shown in LettersPatent No. 167,083 the expanding mechanism was operated, in part,through a lever which was pivoted to the arms of the rockshaft, bywhich, in part, the block-spindle was raised and lowered, andconsequently, whenever it was desirable to raise or lower the block tosuit various heights of crowns, a corresponding adjustment of theexpanding mechanism necessarily followed. I have now so organized thisportion of the machine that the expanding mechanism is practicallyindependent of the block-lifting mechanism, and it therefore requires nosuch adjustment. A comparison of Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive, of thedrawings of my said Letters Patent No. 167,083 with Figs. 3 to 5,inclusive, of the present drawings will clearly indicate the improvementreferred to.

The lifting of the block-spindle g by means of the hand-lever 0 viarock-shaft g, lever-arm g pendent links 9 horizontal pivoted arm 9,links 9 at the outer end thereof, and crosshead 9 is substantially asheretofore, the mechanism being now only varied in its parts andarrangement to best accommodate the new arrangement of the expandingmechanism.

The block-expanding rods h and their crosshcad h, sliding on theblock-spindle, except as hereinafter specified, are as before. Theblockexpanding hand-lever C is connected to the cross-head viarock-shaft 71. the arm h thereon, the link Ir, pivoted on the pivotedarm 9 and links 7L6, which, at their upper ends, are pivoted to thecross-head h. With this arrangement of the bloek-expandin g mechanism itwill be seen that a variation in the vertical adjust ment of the blockcan in no manner affect the block-expanding mechanism, the latter beingpractically independent of the block-lifting mechanism, and that,although the lever k of the expanding mechanism is pivotally connectedto the pivoted arm g of the block-raising mechanism, said connection inno manner adversely affects the freedom of the expanding mechanism toproperly operate regardless of variation in the elevation of thehat-block, because the link h (which connects arm h on rockshai't h withlever it is in line with the center of the rock-shaft on which the armor lever g is pivoted. It is frequently desirable that one block besubstituted for another.

In the machine shown in my Letters Patent No. 167,083 the expanding-rods were connected to their cross-head by means of laterally-insertedscrews or bolts, which could only be removed by first removing adjacentparts of the machine. As seen in Fig. 4, I

have provided the cross-head with a plate, 71/

through which the expanding-rods h are passed, and they are secured tosaid plate by the end nuts on said rods, so that by loosening these nutsand removing them and loosening the set-screw of the cross head 9, whichis secured to the block-spindle g, the latter, with the block and theexpanding-rods, may be readily lifted vertically from the machine and asreadily replaced.

The series of brim-stretching tongs or fingers 1) here shown are in allgeneral respects the same as those described and claimed in my aforesaidLetters Patent No. 167,083, and they are controlled in their stretchingmovement by the treadle-lever D and in their clampin g movement by thehand-lever D Fig. 1, and rendered adjustable by a hand-wheel and screw,all as before set forth in said prior Letters Patent. Thepresentimprovements in these tongs render them more reliable for operating uponfur hats, and they are illustrated in detail in Figs. 8, 9, and 10,Sheet 4. The upperjaw, i, and lower jaw, k, of each pair of tongs orfingers are each provided with a firm but elastic cushion, l, and theedge of the hat-brim is firmly grasped between these two cushionswithout liability of tearing a fur hat, as is liable if thecontact-surfaces be of metal, as in tongs heretofore constructed by mefor operating on wool hats. As indicated in the sectional views, Figs. 8and 10, the cushions Z are annular in form, peripherally rounded, andthey are expansively slipped upon the studs 1, which are tapered, asshown, for more securely holding said cushions in position.

With a knowledge of the operation of the several patented machineshereinbefore referred to, the mode of working my improved machine willbe readily understood from the following brief description: Thebanding-ring is raised to its full height by the hand-lever d, thedriving-shaft beingin motion, but the bandin g-rin g then inactive. Thehand-lever D, being in the position shown in Fig. 1, maintains all thebrim-stretching tongs in open position, the block being also in itsnormal position. A hat is placed on the block with its brim occupyingthe jaws of the tongs, and the handlover I) is then brought forward toclamp the brim at its edge. The hat-block is then raised by thehand-lever O, which latches itself, when desired,in an elevatedposition. The bandingring is then lowered by the hand-lever d, (which isalso latched,) and as it approaches its lowest point the reciprocatingmotion of the bandingring begins, and at frequent intervals thebrimstretching tongs are expanded by the treadlelever and the blockexpanded by lifting the hand-lever G which is also provided with alatch, which maintains the block in an BXA panded condition whendesired.

IIO

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to securebyLetters Patent- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed, of the rapidly-reciprocating banding-ring, a block, and brim-stretohing tongs or fingers.

2. The combination of the rapidly-reciprocating banding-ring, anexpansible block, and brim-stretching tongs or fingers, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination, with the expanding block and its lifting mechanism,of expanding mechanism practically disconnected from the liftingmechanism, substantially as described, whereby said expanding mechanismis nonafteeted by variationsin the adjustment of the block and itslifting mechanism, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the banding-ring and its reciprocatingmechanism, of the handlever for lifting the banding-ring, the auxiliary2o lever, the slotted lever, and the link which connects the slottedlever with the crank-pin of the reciprocating mechanism, substantiallyas described.

5. The brim-stretching tongs provided at 2 5 their jaws with cushions,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the expanding block, its spindle, andexpanding-rods, of the cross-head provided with the plate through 0

